Township selects contractor for new PD

Steve Rappach

Reporter

srappach@reviewonline.com

LaCROFT – Liverpool Township officials have officially selected a contractor to handle construction of their new police station.

On Monday, township trustees formally approved Jim Santini Builders of Washingtonville, Ohio, as the contractors responsible for the construction of the new police station, which will be located along Boring Lane at the former LaCroft kindergarten building. The project cost is $442,777.

The motion was approved, 2-0, with Chairman Mike Bahen absent.

Made at the recommendation of Warren-based architectural firm Baker, Bednar, Snyder and Associates, which will serve as engineers for the project, Santini submitted the lowest and best of the four bids revealed during a special meeting Aug. 30.

“They had to check on the background, check on the company and everything, and everything came back good,” Bahen said. “The architect was familiar with them, and so that’s who they recommended.”

The other three quotes submitted were from Brookfield-based United Contractors of North East Ohio ($445,000); E. Mullins Construction LLC of Bloomingdale ($454,961); and DiLoreto Construction Inc. of East Liverpool ($513,500).

The relocation of the police station from its current location on the second floor of the Township Administration Building on Ada Avenue has been discussed by officials in great detail throughout the past couple years. Both trustees and police personnel have expressed concerns with the lack of room for detainees in multiple-arrest situations, along with the location of the station’s offices on the second floor — accessible only by a flight of stairs, making it difficult for the elderly and physically-disabled to conduct business.

No time frame has been established on construction or completion, but Bahen said a meeting between trustees, the firm and Santini is expected within the next week.

Meanwhile, in a separate matter, the Liverpool Township Fire Department will be receiving additional help with equipment as it was awarded the Assistance to Firefighters Grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The purpose of this FEMA grant is to provide financial assistance to eligible fire departments, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Services organizations, and State Fire Training Academies in order to enhance the safety of residents and firefighters.

According to Bahen, the grant will cover 18 new 45-minute air packs, which will replace the current 30-minute air packs used by the department; nine new spare masks, so all firefighters will be able to have one; and 10 sets of full turnout gear, to which 10 firefighters will be suited from head to toe.

Bahen said with new air packs, firefighters will be able to work with more air in a longer time frame in the event they have to enter a burning building.

“Our airpacks our outdated. They’re like 30-minute air packs, and some of them, the bottles can only be tested for 15 years and then they’re out, they’re done,” Bahen said. “Well, ours was coming up outdated to where we had to buy all new air bottles and stuff. These airpacks will also have spare bottles, so instead of one bottle, they will have two bottles per air pack, so they can come out and change their bottles.”

The amount of the grant awarded was for $147,300. FEMA will cover the majority of the grant ($140,286), while the township will be responsible for $7,014 in matching funds.

Bahen said the township will continue to seek grants for other aspects of the township.

The next trustees meeting is scheduled 6:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Township Administation Building on Ada Avenue.